Spatchcock with Cheese Stuffing
Cheese makes a great stuffing ingredient, especially the more robust styles. You could also use this stuffing to roll inside veal or add some toasted pine nuts and use it with lamb.
Stuffing
• 175g ricotta
• 70g fontina, finely chopped
• 75g gorgonzola, finely crumbled
• 4 rashers flat pancetta, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp red pepper, finely chopped
• handful Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp marjoram, finely chopped
• 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
• zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 40g melted butter,/p>
Spatchcock
• 4 x 400g poussins (small chickens), rinsed and dried
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 sprigs rosemary
• salt and pepper, to season
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• squeeze of lemon juice
To make the stuffing, place all ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Set aside. To spatchcock the poussins lay them breast down on a clean bench then using kitchen shears cut down either side of the spine, taking it out completely along with the top of the neck. Flip the birds over and flatten them out using the heel of your hand. To stuff the birds, ease the skin from the breast and spoon a quarter of the stuffing into the pocket. Rub the birds down with olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Lay them on a wire rack inside a roasting tray, top with a sprig each of rosemary and pour over the wine and lemon juice. Place them in a preheated oven at 220C for 25 minutes. Take the birds from the oven and baste with the juices in the bottom of the tray. Turn the oven down to 180C and continue cooking for 15 minutes, basting at least once in this time. Serve the chicken with a green salad or vegetables.
4 birds
Recipe from The West Australian Fresh, Thursday 3rd September 2009, and is used with permission of The West Australian.
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